Maastricht taxi drivers threaten to boycott Uber

According to De Limburger, more than a hundred taxi drivers from Maastricht are threatening a boycott of the taxi app Uber. They think the commission charged by the platform is too high. According to the Taxi Drivers Maastricht action group, this commission is usually between 30 and 45 percent and can rise to 50 percent during busy periods, causing drivers to say they give up almost half of the fare. The drivers demand a maximum of 15 percent and better communication about the amount of the commission.

The issue touches on a broader point in Dutch taxi transport: how much of the fare ends up with the driver when a ride is booked via a platform such as Uber. With mediation platforms, not only the distance, but also a variable commission determines what a driver makes per trip, while the driver himself bears the operating costs. This is not only an issue in Maastricht: discussions are also taking place in other regions about the position of taxi drivers compared to international platforms.